Smash Spin Rage Review

Developer: Iddiction
Price: Free
Version Reviewed: 1.1
Device Reviewed On: iPhone 5, iPad 2

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[rating:overall]

Smash Spin Rage is two-faced. It strolls around with a pleasing concept, looking all interesting to play...then the sad, depressing reality sets in. This is a giant IAP trap.

First, the good. The concept is original: an action-RPG with a ‘character’ that’s a disembodied spirit swinging a ball and chain around to wreck up the place because of reasons. The story is presented in cutscenes that don’t make a lot of sense, but no matter: swing that ball round and round and break everything! Break columns! Break vases, they know what they did! Break skeletons into pieces! Break the hearts of enemies, then break their faces! Break everything while spinning around rapidly! Stop spinning? Spend coins to start spinning up again, or just fling the spikey ball around to break everything manually!

Playing as an object takes some getting used to, but at its core, it’s really cool. Oh, and the game supports iCloud. I started playing on my iPhone, but hadn't gotten too far in, so I expected to start over when wanting to play on the iPad, but no! My progress was there! It was a Christmas miracle!

Now, the not-so-cool stuff, which is everything around the game. The game is based on a free-to-play model and it goes whole hog with it. Coins can be earned in-game, and they can also be spent in-game on a wide variety of things. Need to heal quicker while the heat’s all about? Satisfaction is just a few coins away. Want to get up and spinning instantly? Spend some coins. Want to do more damage or become more powerful? Spend some coins. Run out of coins in-game or don’t want to grind? Buy them with real-world money!

Now, here’s the problem: saving up the coins to become better is difficult because in order to just stay afloat, spending coins on fleeting in-game items is required. It just feels like a trap to push in-app purchases, rather than an actual game, albeit one designed to push optional sales. That free-to-play balance is really important, and this one is way too imbalanced in the favor of pushing IAP. And when a game does that, it doesn’t make me want to spend money. I’ll spend it on games that treat me better.

And look, girlfriend, Smash Spin Rage just ain’t gonna treat ’cha right. He’ll come by with promises of spinning and smashing, but honey, the rage will be all yours when he expects ya ta pay. Have some self-respect, girl! Play something else! Be a strong, independent woman!